McPAKE played 80 minutes in a bounce game against Rangers last week and is set to play a full 90 minutes as an overage player for the club's under 20 side tonight.

HIBS skipper James McPake will tonight aim to play his first 90 minutes in nearly two months as he continues his recovery from another back injury.

The 29-year-old has been sidelined since the second leg of the ill-fated Europa League qualifier against Malmo at Easter Road in July when he managed just 23 minutes of the 7-0 humiliation. He played in the first leg in Sweden.

The
Northern Ireland cap – who was forced to fend off rumours in the summer
that he may have to quit the game due to persistent back problems – also missed the climax to last season, including the Scottish Cup Final defeat to Celtic, because of injury.

He has been affected by back trouble since fracturing three bones in his spine on New Year’s Day 2011 playing for Coventry City.

But manager Pat Fenlon has insisted his latest flare-up is not linked with previous injuries.

The former Livingston defender played
for 80 minutes in a closed-doors win over Rangers last week and, after Fenlon resisted the temptation to field him in Hibs’ East of Scotland
team at the weekend, is now eyeing up a full game as an overage player in the Under-20s’ league meeting with Motherwell tonight.

After
playing for 65 minutes in the 3-1 win over a strong Rangers team last week, it is thought full-back Tim Clancy – who has not played for the first-team since an operation on his groin in the summer – could also feature in tonight’s Under-20s clash at Almondvale Stadium.